7.18.2011

Asian Lettuce Wraps

So....it's been a while. The end of the school year was rough, then I went on vacation, and I really haven't been cooking much at all, and when I do I've been making things I am comfortable with. Which brings me to these wraps. I have made these before, but it has been a couple of years at least, and I've been craving them for a while. I apologize for the crappy picture.
Ingredients:
Bibb lettuce
1 chicken breast, thinly sliced or cubed
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tlbs soy sauce (I used tamari)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tlbs rice vinegar
1 tsp Thai chili pepper sauce
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
4-5 green onions, chopped
2 tsp dark sesame oil

Brown the chicken in a pan until it is about half cooked. Then add the onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, and chili sauce and cook for another few minutes until it is almost done. Add the water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil and cook 1-2 minutes more. Take it off the burner, and wash and dry the Bibb lettuce leaves. Using a spoon, put a small amount of the chicken mixture in a leaf and wrap it up to eat.

These are SO good, but be aware that the Bibb lettuce MAKES this dish. I have tried to use other types of lettuce, such as romaine and red lettuce, but for some reason the Bibb lettuce goes with this perfectly. I can go through an entire head of lettuce eating this dish. I also put in more like a tablespoon of chili sauce, but it is really hot when you do that. The first couple of times I made this, I had a hard time finding Bibb lettuce, but it is now at my local Safeway as well as the fruit stand I go to during the summer. Also, FYI, this is really ridiculously messy to eat, which should be an indication of how awesome it tastes.

Rating: 5/5
Why? This is pretty easy to make, especially if you prep everything first, and comes together really fast. It is also relatively healthy and I love the texture of the lettuce as a wrap. It also refrigerates well if you have leftovers, and is a good way to get kids to eat lettuce.